Direction-indicator.



0. L. BRITTON.

DLRECTION INDICATOR. AHUCATION mm mm. 28. 1916.

Patented Oct. 9, 1917 "rum I" lllllm Lllllll a 1-1 0 Jaz am O. L. BRITTON.

DIRECTION INDICATOR.

APPLICATION FILED mmmzs. ISIS.

1,242,516. I Patented 0%. 9,1917.

2 SHEETS-$HEET 2.

osA LE0 BRITTON, or EL PASO, TEXAS.

DIRECTION-INDICATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 9, 1917.

Application filed March 28, 1916. Serial No. 87,216. v

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OSA LEO BRITTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at El Paso, in the county of El Paso and State of Texas, have invented certain new and use ful Improvements in Direction-Indicators,

of which the following is a specification,

A, vention as thus adapted, although it will be understood that the invention is not limited to such embodiments, but susceptible to various other adaptations and uses.

The object of my invention is to provide an electrically operated direction indicator which will be comparatively inexpensive in manufacture, simple, compact, durable, and efficient whereby the anticipated movements of the vehicle are indicated or signaled by a pointer, the movement of which pointer is controlled by the party controlling the course of the vehicle thus permitting the safety of the vehicle against accidental collision in traffic when stopping or turning suddenly, thus warning pedestrians and vehicles as to the intended course of the vehide, and, therefore, making trailic safer.

The above and various other objects and features of novelty will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the various drawings.

Referring to theaccompanying drawings forming a part of this specification wherein like characters of reference denote similar parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a direction indicator constructed in accordance with my present invention, various parts thereof being shown partly in cross-section.

Fig. 2 isia detail of a portion of the direction pointer.

Fig. 3 is also a detail of a portion of the direction pointer.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the locking armature.

- Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view of my improved electric indicator including circuits, locking mechanism and commutator device.

Fig. 6 is a detail in side elevation of the revolving fields, the revolving field shaft and connected parts.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view of the commutator device, the shifting commutator lever being shown in full lines.

Fig. 8 is a detail of the device for returning the shifting commutator lever to its neutral position after having been moved for closing a circuit.

In carrying out the aim ofmy present invention I employ a specially designed, electric indicator apparatus preferably of a vertical type. Preferably one apparatus is attached to the front end of a vehicle and one at the rear end thereof.

The reference numeral 1 designates the base which is preferably provided with a screw-threaded stud 2 which is adapted to be secured to the radiator cap, or to some convenient rear portion of a vehicle. 3 designates a housing or shell, while 4 designates the uppercap. Secured to the housing 3 are a plurality of stationary armature poles arranged in pairs and designated 5 and 6, 7 and 8.

Rotatably mounted upon a roller bearing 9 is a revolving field shaft 10 provided with the series wound revolving fields 11. The revolving fields 11 are preferably provided with a second magnetic circuit connected in series with the windings 12 of the revolving fields 11. The second magnetic circuit consists of a substantially U shaped series wound member 13 supported by the revolving field shaft 10, the poles of which member 13 are locatedadjacent the central portion of a pivotally supported locking armature14. A suitable resilient element 15 is employed for normally holding the locking armature out of contact with the poles of the U shaped member 13 when the circuits are open. One end of the above windings 12 are grounded to the revolving field shaft 10, while the other end is connected to a collector ring 16.

The collector ring 16 is suitably secured to the revolving field shaft 10 preferably above the locking armature 14:- This collector ring 16 is provided at a suitable point with an insulated portion hereinafter known as a neutral plate 17.

A light collector ring 18 is also suitably secured to the revolving field shaft 10 and suitably insulated therefrom. This collector ring 18 is connected in circuit by means of the conductor 19 with the contact 20 of a lamp socket 21, which socket is adapted to receive an ordinary incandescent lamp 22.

Suitably secured to the; interior of the housing 3 is a suitable locking ring 23. This locking ring 23 is preferably provided with the cutaway or recess portions 24, 25, 26 and 27, each of which is arranged directly above the stationary armature poles 5, 6 7 and 8, respectively.

Suitably secured to the locking ring 23 are a plurality of brush terminals 28, 29, 30 and 31. These terminals 28, 29, 30 and 31 are also arranged directly above each of the stationary armature poles 5, 6, 7 and 8, respectively. Resilient brushes 32, 33, 34 and 35 are adapted to be connected to the brush terminals 28, 29, 30 and 31, respectively, and the free ends of the brushes are adapted to be in contact with the collector ring 16. It will be understood that one of the brushes is always in contact with the neutral plate 17 whenever the motor is at rest and the circuits are open, which circuits are four in number, and from an illustrated standpoint are designated A, B, C and D.

To manually control the indicator circuits A, B, G and D which will be more clearly described hereinafter, I employ a suitable manually operated switch lever 36. This switch 36 consists of a handle 37 formed at one end of the lever, and a contact head 38 at the opposite or lower end of the switch lever. This contact head 38 is adapted to travel within, and be guided by, a three way race 39 formed in the base 40 of the switch 41. The intermediate portion of the switch lever 36 is preferably in the form of a ball 42 and is preferably supported by means of a socket 43 in the top of the switch casing 41. The natural tendency of the switch lever it will be understood is to stand in a vertical position when in neutral. When the switch lever 36 is in this neutral position, the pointer E is locked in its neutral position, and the finger of the pointer is pointing in the direction of the movement of the vehicle, which is forward.

To render the switch lever 36 automatic in its self-return movement to neutral position after having been moved to the right, left, or rearward positions, I employ a tubular casing 44 within which is slidably carried a tubular plunger 45, both of which members have one open end, which open ends are known as their inner ends. The tubular'plunger 45 is pivotally secured to the switch lever 36 preferably at a suitable point below the ball portion 42, while the tubular casing 44 is pivotally connected to -the switch casing 41. .sprlng or equivalent 46 is arranged within A suitable coiled the casing 44 and tubular plunger 45. One

end of the spring 46 is secured to the closed end of the casing 44, while the opposite end of the spring is secured to the closed end. of the tubular plunger 45, so that when the switch lever 36 is moved in either of the above named three directions the spring 46 immediately expands and is adapted in contracting to pull the switch lever 36 back into its vertical or neutral position within a predetermined period of time after having been moved for closing a circuit to change the position of the pointer E for signaling the anticipated movement of the vehicle.

This arrangement it will be observed enables the lever 36 to return to its vertical or neutral position without the operator of the vehicle having to move the lever 36, or give any further thought concerning the position of the. pointer. The operator merely moves the switch lever 36 to the right if he wishes to turn the vehicle to the right, and within a reasonable period of time after the pointer E has displayed the intended movement of the vehicle the switch lever 36 will gradually work its way back to neutral position, causing the revolving field shaft 10 to carry the pointer E back to its neutral or forward position just as soon as the head 38 closes the circuit A.

To permit the switch lever 36 to return gradually to its vertical or neutral position, the end of casing 44 is provided with a suitable check valve 47 to permit of an intake of air into the casing as the casing 44 and plunger 45 withdraw from one another. The casing 44 is further provided with a suitable needle valve 48 to permit the escape of the air confined within the casing 44 and plunger 45, respectively. The needle valve 48 may be adjusted and so regulated as to cause the automatic movement of the switch lever 36 to neutral position within any set or predetermined period of time after a circuit has been closed for moving the pointer E to an anticipated signal position.

The base 40 of the switch 41 is provided with the contacts which will be known hereinafter as stationary commutator segments 49, 50, 51 and 52, as clearly shown in Fig. 5. It will be observed and understood that these commutator segments 49, 50, 51 and 52 are located in the bottom of the three-way race. The contact 49 which controls the neutral position of the switch lever 36 and the forward position of the pointer E is arranged at the junction point of the threeway race, while contact 50 is located at the left end of the race, contact 51 at the right end of the race, and contact 52 at the forward end of the race.

The conductors and magnetic circuits, will now be described: A conductor 53 is connected at one end to the neutral commutator segment 49 and leads to and around stationary armature pole 8, then across and around stationary armature pole 7, and terminating at brush terminal 30. r This forms the normally open circuit A.-

A conductor 54 is connected at one end to the commutator segment 52 and leads to and around stationary armature pole 7, then across and around stationary armature pole 8, terminating at brush 31. This forms the normally open circuit B.

A conductor [55 is connected at one end to the commutator segment 51 and leads to and around the stationary armature pole 6, thenacross and around stationary armature pole 5 terminating at bI'llSll terminal 28. This forms a normally open circuitG.

A conductoi 56 is connected to commutator segment and leads to and around stationary commutator pole 5, then across and around stationary armature pole 6 terminating at brush terminal 29. This forms the normally open circuit D.

The reference numeral 57 designates a conductor which is connected to the switch lever 36 terminating at a suit-able source of electrical supply, such for instance as a battery 58, or its equivalent, the opposite pole of the supply being grounded. @ne side of the source 58 is grounded and the circuits which operate'the pointer and also the li ht circuits are all completed through a metallic ground connection with the indicator casing or the like.

v readily seen that each conductor 53, 54,

From the foregoing description it will he connects the'terminal 60 with th lightnear the switch 41.-

collector ring 17 for completing the circuit for lighting the lamp 22. A suitable switch '62 is connected at some convenient point along the light circuit preferably The direction pointer. E whi h is removably secured to the upper end of the revolving field shaft 10, is preferably in the form ofa hollow hand of the same design on either side, and is provided on either side with the word-Turn, the letters ofwhich' word are preferably covered by a red transparent material 63 secured to the'inner side of the hand. The outer edge of the hand and fingers are preferably provided with.

' suitable openings through which the light rays of the 'lamp 22maypass or reflect at night for out-lining the pointer E I The upper end of the pointer E is preferably providedswith a housing 64. 'One face of the housing is provided with the Word Go, while the other face is provided with the word Stop, the letters of wich word are preferably backed by a suitably transparent material 65. v

'The pointer E is further provided with the preferably red glass end 66, which is adapted to act and take place of a tail lamp for the vehicle.

The operation of my direction indicator is as follows In the operation of the indicator assuming that the driver desires to turn the vehicle to the right, he shifts switch lever 36 to the right which will cause the closing of the circuit D through' conductor 56 and energize the U shaped electrical magnetic element 12 which attracts the locking arma ture 14:, thereby withdrawing the same from the recess of the locking ring 23 Within which it has seated itself and simultaneously therewith cause the neutral plate 17 to revolve to apoint directly in contact with the free end of the brush 33' which opens the circuitand releases the locking armature llso that the spring 15 will force the free end of the locking armature into the notch or recess 25 of the locking ring 23, which is the recess it enters from the illustration shown in Fig. 5 to cause the pointer E to v signal to the right. After a circuit has been openedfit isunderstood that the pointer E will retain its new position only until such I time as it takes the switch lever 36 to return toits verticalor neutral position, and whenever the switch lever 35 is in neutral position it will he understood that the pointer'E is pointing forward.

is to be'understood that it makes no difference in what position the revolving fields or pointer are in or to what nosition the switch lever 36 is moved, the re volving fields Wlil rotate to, the selected signal position in the shortest path of travel due to the selectivity of the compoundwound diiferentially connected stationary armature windings.

The windings of the stationary armature are as follows, for each pair of armature poles: I

The mode of connection in one pair of armature poles tend to magnetize poles 5 and 6 north and south, respectively, while the second winding on the samepoles tend to magnetize poles 5 and 6 south and north, respectively, or in the reverse polarity. The other set of poles 7 and 8 operate likewise due to the windings thereon. The conduc tor, such as 56, it will be observed enters around the armature pole 5 from a commur' tator segment 50 and connects at its oppo site extremity to the brush terminal 29,

while thesecond conductor 55 starts fromcommutator segment 51 traveling in the same path as conductor 56 andterminates at a brush terminal 28, thus it will be observed the lines of force in one winding are in one direction, while. the lines of force in the second winding around the same pair of armature poles are in the opposite direction. The object of the compound difierentially connected winding is to reverse the rotation selectively, as heretofore described, causing the neutral plate 17 of the collector ring 16,

when a circuit is closed, to move in the shortest path ofv travel. The neutral plate 1'? i when coming in contact with the brush in may be made in the minor details of con struction within the scope of the appended 5 claims, and therefore I do not wish to limit or be limited to the precise details shown and described, but wish it to be distinctly understood that any modified constructions; are simply modifications of my electric ap paratus, and such modifications as come under the scope'of this specification and the appended claims I consider within the spirit of my invention. a

What I claim is':

1. In a direction indicator ,for vehicles, a source of electrical supply, a pointer, a plnrality of normally open circuits, means for closing any one circuit at a time for rotating sald pointer to a selected signal position to indicate the anticipated movement of the vehicle, means forautomatically locking said polnter in its selected signal position, and means for automatically releasingthe locked pointer after having signaled the anticiated movement of the vehicle and return-- .ing it to its normal position which indicates the forward movement of the vehicle.

2. In a direction indicator for vehicles,

a source of electrical supply, apointe-r and means for illuminating said P01111381, a pluralit of circuits for controlling the forwar right, left and stop movements of the pointer, means for closing anyone circuit at a time to cause the pointer to indicate the anticipated movement of the-vehicle in the shortest path of travelof the indicator, and

said travel not to exceed one-half revolution in any one movement thereof, means for automatically-opening the closed circuit after the anticipated movement of the vehicle has been .sigipaled by the pointer, and means for automatically closing the circuit controlling the forward position of the pointer, and when the pointer-has returned to said forward position, open the circuit, and automatically lock the pointer in its forward signaling position.

3. In a device having a direction pointer of the class described, an apparatus forsubjecting the pointer to selected movements to indicate the anticipated movement of a vehicle electrically by causing a selected circuit to be closed and automatically opened after the pointer has reached its anticipated signal position and signaled the anticipated movement of the vehicle, means for normally locking the pointer in its selected position, and means for automatically, closing a circuit to unlock the pointer and revolve it to its normal position and again automatically open the circuit and lock the pointer from rotation until another circuit has been closed for signaling the anticipated ,movement of the vehicle.

a. In a device of the class described, a cas-' ing, a source of electrical supply, a direction ointer, a plurality of compound-wound diferentially connected stationary armature poles, revolving fields, a revolving field shaft, a collector ring having a peripheral contact face fixed to said shaft and in circuit with said fields, a neutral plate fixed to the periphery of said collector ring, a stationary commutator, a plurality of normally open circuits leading from said stationary com mutator to said revolving fields, lever actu ated circuit closing means for closing any one circuit at a time to revolve said fields,

not to exceed one-half revolution in any one direction for finding the selected signal position, a locking ring fixed to the. casing near the upper edge thereof having a plurality of locking armature receiving recesses an electrically actuated armature pivotally supported by one of the revolving fields, and means for opening one of the circuits for returning the direction pointer to its forward pointing position after the fields have been revolved to move the direction pointer to a selected signal position.

5. In a direction indicator comprising an electric apparatus consisting of a casing, a direction pointer, compound-wound and differentially connected stationary armature fields and adapted to rotate with the fields,

a neutral plate fixed to the periphery of said collector-ring, a source of electrical supply, a locking ring fixed to the casing near the upper edge thereof having a plurality of closing the forward circuit and returning ,cuit at a time for revolving said the direction pointer to its forward pointing position after a turning or stop signal has been indicated by the pointer.

6. An indicator comprising an electric apparatus consisting of a plurality of opposed pairs of compound-wound differentially connected stationary armature poles, series wound revolving fields adapted to move between said armature poles having an extended field shaft, a source of electrical supply, a pointer secured to said field shaft, a collector ring secured to said shaft and in circuit with said revolving fields, a neutral plate secured to said collector ring, a plu rality of brushes in contact with said collector ring, a normally open circuit leading to each brush, means for closing an one cir elds and said pointer to a new signal position, means for automatically opening the circuit when the pointer has reached its anticipated signal position, and means for automatically clos- .ing a circuit for returning the indicator to its normal forward signal position and looking it against rotation until another circuit has been closed.

7. In an electrical indicator apparatus, a source of electrical supply, a plurality of compound-wound differentially connected stationary armature poles, a plurality of normally open indicator circuits, series wound revolvin fields normally in open circuit with said indicator circuits, means for closing any one circuit at a time for revolving the fields, not to exceed one-half revolution in any one direction, means for opening the circuit and stopping the rotation of the fields at a predetermined position for displaying a traflic signal, and means for automatically closing a circuit for returning the fields to their normal position.

8. An electric apparatus comprising stationary armature poles arranged in pairs,

compound-wound and differentially connected, a plurality of normally open circuits, series wound revolving fields normally in open circuit with said plurality of normally open circuits, a stationary commutator having means for controlling the closing of any one circuit at a time and revolving the fields, means for opening the closed circuit at a predetermined time, means for locking the fields against rotation simultaneously with the opening of any closed circuit, and means for automatically unlocking the fields and closing a circuit for returning the fields to their normal position after the closed circuit, which revolved them, has been opened. 9. An electric apparatus comprising stationary armature poles arranged in pairs, compound-wound and difierentially connected, to form four normally open circuits, revolving fields in normally open circuits with said four normally open circuits, magnetically actuating locking means/in circuit with said fields, automatic means for returning the fields to their normal osition after having moved to a predetermined position by closing a circuit, and a direction ointer, the movement of which is controlled by the movement of the fields.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name to the specification.

OSA LEO salmon. 

